An official website of the United States government
Abstract During a storm, as the beach profile is impacted by increased wave forcing and rapidly changing water levels, sand berms may help mitigate erosion of the backshore. However, the mechanics of berm morphodynamics have not been fully described. In this study, 26 trials were conducted in a large wave flume to explore the response of a near‐prototype berm to scaled storm conditions. Sensors were used to quantify hydrodynamics, sheet flow dynamics, and berm evolution. Results indicate that berm overtopping and offshore sediment transport were key processes causing berm erosion. During the morphological evolution of the beach profile, two sand bars were formed offshore that attenuated subsequent wave energy. The landward extent of that energy was confined to the seaward foreshore, inhibiting inundation of the backshore. Net offshore‐directed transport was dominant when infragravity motions increased in the swash zone. Conversely, the influence of incident‐band motions on sediment transport was relatively greater in the inner‐surf zone. Near‐bed flow velocities and sheet flow layer thicknesses were larger in the swash zone than in the inner‐surf zone. This paper also provides a valuable analysis between morphology‐estimated total sediment transport rates and rates derived from in situ measurements. Sheet flow dynamics dominated foreshore cross‐shore sediment processes, constituting the largest portion of the total sediment transport load throughout the berm erosion.
more »
« less
Large Eddy Simulation of Cross‐Shore Hydrodynamics Under Random Waves in the Inner Surf and Swash Zones
Abstract A 3D large eddy simulation coupled with a free surface tracking scheme was used to simulate cross‐shore hydrodynamics as observed in a large wave flume experiment. The primary objective was to enhance the understanding of wave‐backwash interactions and the implications for observed morphodynamics. Two simulation cases were carried out to elucidate key processes of wave‐backwash interactions across two distinct stages: berm erosion and sandbar formation, during the early portion of a modeled storm. The major difference between the two cases was the bathymetry: one featuring a berm without a sandbar (Case I), and the other, featuring a sandbar without a berm (Case II) at similar water depth. Good agreement (overall Willmott's index of agreement greater than 0.8) between simulations and measured data in free surface elevation, wave spectrum, and flow velocities validated the model skill. The findings indicated that the bottom shear stress, represented by the Shields parameter, was significant in both cases, potentially contributing substantial sediment transport. Notably, the occurrence of intense wave‐backwash interactions were more frequent in the absence of a sandbar. These intense wave‐backwash interactions resulted in a pronounced horizontal pressure gradient, quantified by high Sleath parameters, exceeding the criteria for momentary bed failure. Additionally, a more vigorous turbulence‐bed interaction, characterized by near‐bed turbulent kinetic energy, was observed in the case lacking a sandbar, potentially augmenting sediment suspension. These insights are pivotal in understanding the mechanisms underlying berm erosion and how sandbar formation serves to protect further beach erosion.
more »
« less
- PAR ID:
- 10542885
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
- Volume:
- 129
- Issue:
- 9
- ISSN:
- 2169-9275
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
null (Ed.)Wave forcing from hurricanes, nor’easters, and energetic storms can cause erosion of the berm and beach face resulting in increased vulnerability of dunes and coastal infrastructure. LIDAR or other surveying techniques have quantified post-event morphology, but there is a lack of in situ hydrodynamic and morphodynamic measurements during extreme storm events. Two field studies were conducted in March 2018 and April 2019 at Bethany Beach, Delaware, where in situ hydrodynamic and morphodynamic measurements were made during a nor’easter (Nor’easter Riley) and an energetic storm (Easter Eve Storm). An array of sensors to measure water velocity, water depth, water elevation and bed elevation were mounted to scaffold pipes and deployed in a single cross-shore transect. Water velocity was measured using an electro-magnetic current meter while water and bed elevations were measured using an acoustic distance meter along with an algorithm to differentiate between the water and bed during swash processes. GPS profiles of the beach face were measured during every day-time low tide throughout the storm events. Both accretion and erosion were measured at different cross-shore positions and at different times during the storm events. Morphodynamic change along the back-beach was found to be related to berm erosion, suggesting an important morphologic feedback mechanism. Accumulated wave energy and wave energy flux per unit area between Nor’easter Riley and a recent mid-Atlantic hurricane (Hurricane Dorian) were calculated and compared. Coastal Observations: JALBTCX/NCMP emergency-response airborne Lidar coastal mapping & quick response data products for 2016/2017/2018 hurricane impact assessmentsmore » « less
-
Abstract Turbulence‐resolving simulations elucidate key elements of fluid dynamics and sediment transport in fluvial environments. This research presents a feasible strategy for applying state‐of‐the‐art computational fluid mechanics to the study of sediment transport and morphodynamic processes in lateral separation zones, which are common features in canyon rivers where massive lateral flow separation causes large‐scale turbulence that controls sediment erosion and deposition. An eddy‐resolving model was developed and tested at the field‐scale, coupling a viscous flow and sediment transport solver using Detached Eddy Simulation techniques. A morphodynamic model was applied to the viscous flow/sediment solver to calculate erosion and deposition. A simulation of turbulence was performed at the grid resolution for a straight channel to determine the relative contributions of modeled and resolved diffusivity. The time‐dependent, energetically important, correlative, non‐stationary signals of the simulated quantities were captured at the lateral separation zone. Strong periodic signals featured by high amplitude were found at the separation zone, while low frequency pulsations were observed at the reattachment zone of the lateral separation zone. Interactions between the eddies and the loose bed boundaries resulted in erosion of sediment at the main channel followed by deposition at the primary eddy and eddy bars.more » « less
-
ABSTRACT Connecting real-time measurements of current–bed interactions to the temporal evolution of submarine channels can be extremely challenging in natural settings. We present a suite of physical experiments that offer insight into the spectrum of interactions between turbidity currents and their channels, from i) detachment-limited erosion to ii) transport-limited erosion to iii) pure deposition. In all three cases channel sinuosity influenced patterns of erosion and deposition; the outsides of bends displayed the highest erosion rates in the first two cases but showed the highest deposition rates in the third. We connect the evolution of these channels to the turbulence of the near-bed boundary layer. In the erosional experiments the beds of both channels roughened through time, developing erosional bedforms or trains of ripples. Reynolds estimates of boundary-layer roughness indicate that, in both erosional cases, the near-bed boundary layer roughened from smooth or transitionally rough to rough, whereas the depositional channel appears to have remained consistently smooth. Our results suggest that, in the absence of any changes from upstream, erosion in submarine channels is a self-reinforcing mechanism whereby developing bed roughness increases turbulence at the boundary layer, thereby inhibiting deposition, promoting sediment entrainment, and enhancing channel relief; deposition occurs in submarine channels when the boundary layer remains smooth, promoting aggradation and loss of channel relief.more » « less
-
Abstract Erosive beach scarps influence beach vulnerability, yet their formation remains challenging to predict. In this study, a 1:2.5 scale laboratory experiment was used to study the subsurface hydrodynamics of a beach dune during an erosive event. Pressure and moisture sensors buried within the dune were used both to monitor the water table and to examine vertical pressure gradients in the upper 0.3 m of sand as the slope of the upper beach developed into a scarp. Concurrently, a line‐scan lidar tracked swash bores and monitored erosion and accretion patterns along a single cross‐shore transect throughout the experiment. As wave conditions intensified, a discontinuity in the slope of the dune formed; the discontinuity grew steeper and progressed landward at the same rate as theR2%runup extent until it was a fully formed scarp with a vertical face. Within the upper 0.15 m of the partially saturated sand, upward pore pressure gradients were detected during backwash, influencing the effective weight of sand and potentially contributing to beachface erosion. The magnitude and frequency of the upward pressure gradients increased with deeper swash depths and with frequency of wave interaction, and decreased with depth into the sand. A simple conceptual model for scarp formation is proposed that incorporates observations of upward‐directed pressure gradients from this study while providing a reference for future studies seeking to integrate additional swash zone sediment transport processes that may impact scarp development.more » « less
